Cassata – Sicilian Ricotta Cake with Pistachio Marzipan

This cake makes me think of sitting on the porch swing in my Italian grandmother’s lanai. It was about 1973 and I would have been 6 years old and eating something sweet and spring-like. She had hanging baskets of flowers dangling from the ceiling from elaborately woven macramé; in shades of orange, chartreuse and gold. I’m sure I was eating Jell-o, but it should have been this cake, with its basket weave icing and magical candied fruit flower. Ok, truth be told, my grandmother isn’t Italian, she didn’t have a lanai, I just like the word, and there probably was macramé, but I don’t actually remember any. But, this cake makes me wish all these things were true. Not only is it visually stunning, but the cake is so delicious I licked the plate clean.

I really made the cake with my friend Bret, who I’ve known since I taught my very first baking class at Cooks of Crocus Hill about 13 years ago. He is a dynamite chef and baker, and I love playing in the kitchen with him. We decided to make this classic Italian ricotta cake after seeing it on the pages of Saveur magazine, just in time for Easter. Bret’s interpretation honored the traditional style of the cake and I went for a more 1973-macramé-hanging-on-the-lanai look. We were in a zone and made, not only the cake and all of its parts, but we also candied all the fruit. I discovered that one of my all time favorite taste sensations is a whole candied kumquat. They become translucent jewels in the process of cooking and the flavor is both tart and sweet. I ate them like popcorn. The candied citrus is a perfect compliment to the creamy smooth layers of ricotta and the orange liqueur soaked sponge cake. The frame around the cake is made from pistachio marzipan, which is a revelation of its own. I adore marzipan made with almonds, but this is exponentially better and adds a bit of flash to the outside of the cake; as if the basket weave and candied fruit flower weren’t enough.

Sicilian Ricotta Cake (Cassata) Inspired by one I saw in Saveur, but with my own flare for the dramatic.

Sponge cake:

1 cup flour

2/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon zest of lemon or orange

5 large eggs, room temperature

Pistachio marzipan:

1 cup shelled pistachios

3 cups confectioners’ sugar

1 egg white

For soaking the cake:

1/2 cup Simple Syrup (equal parts water and sugar, boiled until all sugar is disolved)

2 tablespoons orange liqueur or juice

Ricotta filling:

1/2 pound cream cheese, softened

1 pound ricotta cheese, full fat, drained overnight in a cheese cloth (This step is only necessary if you are using a homemade or fresh ricotta. Most store bought brands don’t have that much excess liquid)

Candied fruit – I recommend you make your own, but you can use store bought in a pinch. We made Meyer lemon, pink grapefruit, orange, lime and kumquats. Make a bunch, they last a long time in the refrigerator, up to a month.

To prepare the sponge cake:

Preheat oven to 350°F, with rack in center of the oven. Line a 13 X 18 Baking Sheet with parchment paper and grease the paper.

Beat the sugar, zest, and eggs in a stand mixer using the whip attachment, on high speed for about 5 minutes. The eggs will be light in color and very thick.

Whisk the egg white in a small bowl and add most of it, but not all to the pistachios and blend until it all comes together in a ball. If the dough is too dry to come together, add the rest of the egg white.

Remove from the bowl and knead for a minute on a surface covered with powdered sugar.

Measure the loaf pan sides and cut the marzipan in strips to completely cover the sides. Set aside.

To prepare the ricotta filling:

In a stand mixer beat together the cream cheese, strained ricotta, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt.

Beat on medium speed until the mixture is smooth.

Measure the bottom of the loaf pan and cut a piece of the cooled cake to fit the bottom. Mix together the simple syrup and liqueur, then brush it on to the cake. You want enough to really flavor the cake, but not so much that it because soggy.

Cover the cake with a layer of the ricotta filling to reach almost midway up the pan. Repeat this process with another later of cake, more soaking syrup and ricotta filling.

Top the ricotta filling with another layer of cake and soaking syrup. It should come just to the top of the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, but overnight is best.

Unmold the cake onto a serving platter.

Mix the cream cheese icing:

In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, butter, confectioners’ sugar, and zest.

Can you elaborate on how to candy a whole kumquat? I’m experienced with candied citrus peel– but a kumquat?! We have more kumquats than we can figure out what to do with, and this sounds like an exceptional way to use them!

Hi Zoe – It was such a great day, cooking with you in your kitchen. I hope we can do it again sometime soon. And for anyone thinking about making this cake. It looks harder than it actually is, so go for it and impress you family and friends.

I love the fruity flower! That’s such a creative touch.
I’m wondering if there is a way to make the marzipan without eggs?? I just read the article in Savuer. The pistachio marzipan peeked my interest to make it again. The very first time I candied fruit was to decorate a cassata for my then 13 yr. old dd who was studying Italian. It was soo much fun. The syrup is delicious too on ice cream. I wonder like how you replaced the Grand Marnier with juice and simple syrup. I was going to try the syrup from the fruit but I didn’t think about adding juice to help moisten the cake too. Thanks for posting all the steps and a better way to get the marzipan just right.

G’DAY to you Zoe I thought I would give you a real OCKER greeting from Sydney Australia (G’Day=Good Day + Ocker is used both as a noun and adjective for an Australian who … The typical ocker is “usually found in a blue singlet and rubber thongs = flip flops(foot wear) I hope you do not mind my silliness I found your blog the other day while browsing for Christmas cookie recipes (one can never have enough! )I saw your beautiful cakes How talented you are THANKYOU so much for your great “tutorials” on cake decorating in this case BASKET WEAVE Though a great cook I am fairly new to Cake decorating & now that I am getting older so to speak I want a career that will grow along with me Cake decorating fits the bill as I love Baking/cooking Years ago & in between jobs I started a “Cottage Industry” selling Jams, Rhubarb chutney, Lime marmalades & Walnut/Chocolate Roulades I did quite well with word of mouth Then I went back to Law work I love what you have made Zoe I will also take this time to wish you & your family “A very Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays & a wonderful productive & blessed New Year

Follow me

Welcome to Zoe Bakes

I'm Zoë François and I love to bake. This is where I play with sugar and take the mystery out of baking everything from cookies to wedding cakes. I studied pastry at the CIA, worked in restaurants, write cookbooks and now you can also find my creations on the Cooking Channel, Fine Cooking Magazine, General Mills, Cooking Club Magazine and Breadin5.com. More...

Zoe’s Books

Click on Zoe's "Five Minutes a Day" books to learn more and order from Amazon.